Bed spring assembly



1963 F. A. NACHMAN, JR 07, 7

BED SPRING ASSEMBLY Filed Nov. 21. 1960 INVENTOR. .34 Fr fiachman,Jn

Wfik 07 2272193 United States Patent 3,107,367 BED SPRING ASSEWLY FredA. Nachrnan, Jr., 20 E. Cedar St, Chicago, ill. Filed Nov. 21, 1960,Ser. No. 70,755 3 Claims. (Cl. -248) This invention relates to a coilspring assembly and relates more particularly to a new and improved coilspring assembly for use as a bedspring, in a spring mattress,cushioning, and the like bedding and furniture.

It is an object of this invention to produce a new and improved springassembly for bedding and furniture and it is a related object to producea spring assembly of the type described which is characterized byimproved resiliency and stiffness, which gives a relatively uniformlyflattened surface both while in use and out of use, which embodies meansfor more uniform direction of load throughout the area of the springassembly, which embodies an improved resiliency and stiffness in theedge construction and wherein such improved stiffness and resiliency istransmitted through the inner portions of the spring assembly, and whichis formed of relatively few inexpensive and readily available partswhich are capable of interconnection in a simple and efiicient machineto effect the desired assembled relationship.

This and other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafterappear, and for purposes of illustration, but not .of limitation, anembodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a spring assembly embodying the features ofthis invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view taken substantially along theline 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a fragmentary portion of the springassembly of FIG. 1 showing the band construction and arrangement; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a bridging band member employed in thepractice of this invent-ion.

Referring now to the drawing for illustration of the practice of thisinvention, the spring assembly is formed of a plurality of spring coilsranged in parallel lengthwise and crosswise rows 12 and 14 respectivelywith the coil springs 10 in the lengthwise rows 12 being arranged inedge to edge relation and with the lengthwise rows of coil springsranged in spaced parallel relation. All of said coil springs arepositioned within an area defined by upper and lower border framemembers 16 and 18, respectively, formed of heavier gauge, circular orflat, wire or bands of a metallic, wooden or plastic material with theborder frame members disposed adjacent the upper and lower temiinalcoils 20 and 22, respectively, of the outermost coil springs in each ofthe rows for attachment therebetween, as will hereinafter be described.

The coil springs and border frame members are interconnected one withthe other by means of helical tie wires 24 which extend crosswise inalignment with the adjacent edges of the upper and lower terminal of thecoil springs in the lengthwise rows. The helical tie wires 24 arethreaded about the adjacent edges of the terminal coils of the adjacentcoil springs to interconnect the adjacent coil springs in the lengthwiserows and to interconnect the coil springs in the adjacent rows While thefree ends of the helical tie wires are connected to the aligned sidewallportions of the border frame members to interconnect the coil springsand the border frame members into a unitary assembly.

Lengthwise bridging bands 26 of spring metal or plastics are ranged toextend lengthwise from border wire to border wire and there positionedto overlie the top terminal coils of the coil springs and to underliethe bottom terminal coils of the coil springs with the bands preferablyar ranged to extend lengthwise across the lengthwise rows of 3,lii?,367Patented Oct. 22, 1%63 the coil springs and in substantial alignmentwith the centers thereof. The bands 26 are adapted to be interwoven withthe overlapping, interconnected edges of the terminal coils of theadjacent coil springs whereby the bands become interconnected with theterminal coils of the coil springs and the helical tie wires passingtherethrough to stabilize the position of the bands for spanning themajor diameter of the coil springs. Thus, the bands 26 function in amanner not only to block the openings 28 to the interior of the coilsprings to minimize infiltration of matting or other cushioning materialbut also to transmit load between the coil springs whereby additionalload applied to one section will be transmitted by the bands to adjacentspring members not directly in the path of the applied load. As aresult, localized effects of load are greatly minimized so that thespring assembly becomes characterized by a greater resiliency, betterfeel, and stiffness and is capable of support of greater loads withoutsuch excessive deformation as would result in discomfort to the user ordamage to the spring assembly. The arrangement of bands in interwovenrelationship with the terminal coils of the coil springs enables thebands also to operate as a means for supporting the terminal coils ofthe coil springs whereby they are held to substantially the same levelthereby to insure a desirable flattened surface in the coil springassembly in all stages of use and non-use.

An important concept of this invention resides in the additionalconstruction wherein the bridging bands 26 are secured at their ends tothe border frame members in a tensioned relationship for automaticassembly in a manner which resists disengagement or relative movementsand wherein greater stiffness and resiliency are built into the edgeconstruction, and whereby such improved stiffness and resiliency in theedge construction is transmitted through the bands to the body portionof the spring assembly. This increases the load carrying capacity of thespring assembly and the stiffness and resiliency thereof while at thesame time interconnecting the edge cconstruction with the body portionto improve the characteristics of the edge construction for betterperformance and feel.

For this purpose, the border frame members 16 and 18 are ranged tooverlie and underlie the upper terminal coils respectively of theoutermost coil springs in each row with the border frame members beingpreferably vertically aligned with the central portion 28 of the coilsprings so as to be in vertical alignment with all of the coils makingup the coil springs. It will be sufficient if the border wires or borderframe members are in vertical alignment with the outer edges of the coilof the smallest diameter usually at the center of the saddle shaped coilsprings. This will form an outer portion 30 for each of the terminalcoils of the coil springs which extends outwardly beyond the borderframe members and which portion can be wrapped inwardly about the borderframe members, as illustrated by the numeral 32, to effect a firminterconnected relationship therebetween.

The bands 26 which extend lengthwise over the coil springs from oneborder frame member to the other are formed with an L-shaped end portion34 to provide a leg which extends parallel with the border frame membersin an overlapping relationship therewith. Thus, when the outwardlyextending portion of the terminal coils of the outermost coil springsare wrapped about the border frame members to effect an interconnectedrelationship, the legs 34 of the bands can also be included within thewrap secured to interconnect the bands at their ends with the terminalcoils of the outermost coil springs and with the border frame members toeffect a relatively permanent interconnected relationship therebetween.

In the preferred practice, the bands will be interconnectedsimultaneously with the wrapping of the terminal coil about the borderframe members. Since the bands are generally aligned with the centralportions of the coil springs in the rows, it will be apparent that theleading edge of the coil can be fed to the inside edge of the bandi.e.,to the side on which the arm 34 extends, whereby the coil will initiallycam the end portion of the band in the opposite direction as theadjacent portions of the coil engage the hand during the wrappingoperation. This will result in slight displacement in the end portionsof the bands, as illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawing, which willfunction consistently to urge the leg 34 of the band into the wrappingthereby to militate against inadvertent disengagement.

When, as in the described arrangement, the border frame members arepositioned in vertical alignment with the concentration of the coilsmaking up the coil springs, the coil springs will be able moreeffectively to resist deformation of the border frame members inresponse to applied load especially when compared with the priorconstructions wherein the border frame members were interconnected withthe outermost edges of the terminal coils of the outermost coil springs,as by means of helical tie wires, such that the applied force wasoutside the principal lines of resistance to deformation by the coilsprings. When the border frame members are aligned with the portions ofthe coil springs capable of greater resistance to deformation, greaterstiffness and resiliency are built into the edge construction.

In addition to the improved edge construction resulting from thedescribed arrangement between the border frame members and the coilsprings, improved load factors, resiliency and stifiness are introducedthrough the band construction which is so tied into the edgeconstruction as to offer greater resistance to deformation not only fromthe standpoint of the support contributed by the inner coil springs butalso by reason of the inability of the bands to shift lengthwise in amanner which would be required to conform to deformation under load.

Conversely, the increased stiffness and load bearing factors in the edgeconstruction of the spring assembly is capable of being transmittedthrough the bands to the inner portions of the spring assembly wherebysuch inner portions are capable of supporting greater load withoutincreased deformation or, in other words, the inner portions of thespring assembly will be subject to less deformation under load withoutdisturbing the softness and feel. The transmission for distribution ofload through the band members places the band members in a positionwhereby they become effective to support the terminal coils of the coilsprings at uniform levels, since the bands are so resiliently tied intothe border frame members at their ends as to resist displacement wherebythe bands more effectively resist deformation throughout the lengththereof. This then imparts a tensioned relationship over the entiresurface of the coil spring assembly which operates to maintain theterminal coils of the coil springs at uniform level and to distributeload.

In actual practice a coil spring assembly embodying the features of thisinvention is capable of withstanding twenty five (25%) percent greaterload in the edge construction or in portions interior of the edgewithout corresponding increase in deformation and Without increase inthe weight or in the number or concentration of springs employed in theassembly.

It will be understood that the bands may be faced in opposite directionsin alternate rows of the coil springs, as illustrated in FIG. 1, or inthe same directions without departing from the spirit of the inventionand that other changes may be made in the details of construction,arrangement and operation without departing from the spirit of theinvention, especially as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A multiple coil spring assembly comprising a plurality of coilsprings arranged in a series of lengthwise and crosswise rows with thecoil springs in the lengthwise rows being arranged in end to endrelationship with the upper and lower terminal coils of adjacent coilsprings overlapping and with the coil springs in the crosswise rowsbeing spaced one from the other, means interconnecting the terminalcoils of the adjacent coil springs in the. lengthwise rows and extendingcrosswise of the coil springs to interconnect corresponding adjacentcoil springs in the crosswise rows, a top and a bottom border framemember arranged about the assembled coil springs alongside the top andbottom terminal coils respectively of the outermost coil springs in therows, a resilient band extending unidirectionally and continuouslylengthwise over the central portions of the terminal coils of the coilsprings in the lengthwise rows and having terminal flanges extendingsubstantially perpendicularly unidirectionally from the ends of thebands and disposed alongside the border frame members with the portionsof the bands between the ends being interconnected with the overlappingportions of the terminal coils of the coil springs whereby the portionsof the bands between the ends are resiliently held in lengthwisealignment with substantially the centers of the aligned coil springs inthe lengthwise rows, said border frame members being positioned toextend as a chord across the terminal coils of the outermost coilsprings to subdivide the terminal coils into an inwardly extendingportion and an outwardly extending chord portion, the latter of which iswrapped about the border frame members and on the side of the band fromwhich the flanges project to effect an interconnected relationship whichpositions the border frame members in substantial vertical alignmentwith the coils of least diameter in the coil springs thereby to positionthe border frame members in substantially vertical alignment with themajor axial force capable of being developed by the engaged coil springsand to cam the end portions of the bands in the direction opposite thatin which the flanges extend respectively to engagement between thewrapped-about portion of the terminal coils and the adjacent endportions of the band as the chord pontion is wrapped around the flangeand border wire thereby to eifect a tension relationship with endportions of the band being cammed to be offset from central alignmentwtih the coil springs while the intermediate portions of the band areresiliently held in central alignment thereby to introduce a tensionedrelationship throughout the spring assembly.

2. A structure according to claim 1 wherein the resilient border framesand the resilient wires are composed of flat wire.

3. A structure according to claim 1 wherein the resilient wires whichbridge all springs in each row are interweaved through the adjacentlydisposed coil springs of said row.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,291,390 Krakauer July 28, 1942 2,473,706 Gleason June 21, 19492,885,693 Wuest May 12, 1959 2,945,245 Gleason July 19, 1960

1. A MULTIPLE COIL SPRING ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF COILSPRINGS ARRANGED IN A SERIES OF LENGTHWISE AND CROSSWISE ROWS WITH THECOIL SPRINGS IN THE LENGTHWISE ROWS BEING ARRANGED IN END TO ENDRELATIONSHIP WITH THE UPPER AND LOWER TERMINAL COILS OF ADJACENT COILSPRINGS OVERLAPPING AND WITH THE COIL SPRINGS IN THE CROSSWISE ROWSBEING SPACED ONE FROM THE OTHER, MEANS INTERCONNECTING THE TERMINALCOILS OF THE ADJACENT COIL SPRINGS IN THE LENGTHWISE ROWS AND EXTENDINGCROSSWISE OF THE COIL SPRINGS TO INTERCONNECT CORRESPONDING ADJACENTCOIL SPRINGS IN THE CROSSWISE ROWS, A TOP AND A BOTTOM BORDER FRAMEMEMBER ARRANGED ABOUT THE ASSEMBLED COIL SPRINGS ALONGSIDE THE TOP ANDBOTTOM TERMINAL COILS RESPECTIVELY OF THE OUTERMOST COIL SPRINGS IN THEROWS, A RESILIENT BAND EXTENDING UNIDIRECTIONALLY AND CONTINUOULSYLENGTHWISE OVER THE CENTRAL PORTIONS OF THE TERMINAL COILS OF THE COILSPRINGS IN THE LENGTHWISE ROWS AND HAVING TERMINAL FLANGES EXTENDINGSUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULARLY UNIDIRECTIONALLY FROM THE ENDS OF THEBANDS AND DISPOSED ALONGSIDE THE BORDER FRAME MEMBERS WITH THE PORTIONSOF THE BANDS BETWEEN THE ENDS BEING INTERCONNECTED WITH THE OVERLAPPINGPORTIONS OF THE TERMINAL COILS OF THE COIL SPRING WHEREBY THE PORTIONSOF THE BANDS BETWEEN THE ENDS ARE RESILIENTLY HELD IN THE LENGTHWISEALIGNMENT WITH SUBSTANTIALLY THE CENTERS OF THE ALIGNED COIL SPRINGS INTHE LENGTHWISE ROWS, SAID BORDER FRAME MEMBERS BEING POSITIONED TOEXTEND AS A CHORD ACROSS THE TERMINAL COILS OF THE OUTERMOST COILSPRINGS TO SUBDIVIDE THE TERMINAL COILS INTO AN INWARDLY EXTENDINGPORTION AND AN OUTWARDLY EXTENDING CHORD PORTION, THE LATTER OF WHICH ISWRAPPED ABOUT THE BORDER FRAME MEMBERS AND ON THE SIDE OF THE BAND FROMWHICH THE FLANGES PROJECT TO EFFECT AN INTERCONNECTED RELATIONSHIP WHICHPOSITIONS THE BORDER FRAME MEMBERS IN SUBSTANTIAL VERTICAL ALIGNMENTWITH THE COILS OF LEAST DIAMETER IN THE COIL SPRINGS THEREBY TO POSITIONTHE BORDER FRAME MEMBERS IN SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL ALIGNMENT WITH THEMAJOR AXIAL FORCE CAPABLE OF BEING DEVELOPED BY THE ENGAGED COIL SPRINGSAND TO CAM THE END PORTIONS OF THE BANDS IN THE DIRECTION OPPOSITE THATIN WHICH THE FLANGES EXTEND RESPECTIVELY TO ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THEWRAPPED-ABOUT PORTION OF THE TERMINAL COILS AND THE ADJACENT ENDPORTIONS OF THE BAND AS THE CHORD PORTION IS WRAPPED AROUND THE FLANGEAND BORDER WIRE THEREBY TO EFFECT A TENSION RELATIONSHIP WITH ENDPORTIONS OF THE BAND BEING CAMMED TO BE OFFSET FROM CENTRAL ALIGNMENTWITH THE COIL SPRINGS WHILE THE INTERMEDIATE PORTIONS OF THE BAND ARERESILIENTLY HELD IN CENTRAL ALIGNMENT THEREBY TO INTRODUCE A TENSIONEDRELATIONSHIP THROUGHOUT THE SPRING ASSEMBLY.